Friends and collaborators of the late EDM DJ Tim Bergling, known by his moniker Avicii, will perform a tribute concert for the artist in his hometown later this year.
The concert is set to take place on December 5 at the Friends Arena in Stockholm and will feature 19 of the original singers on some of his hit songs including Aloe Blacc, Adam Lambert, Rita Ora, and Joe Janiak. His friends in the industry like David Guetta, Kygo, Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, Laidback Luke, and Nicky Romero will also perform throughout the two-hour headlining set with a 30-piece band. Many of these songs will be heard live for the first time, since Avicci did not tour during the end of his career.
“Tim had plans for his music to be performed together with a large live band, and now we are realizing his dream and giving fans a chance to experience his music in this unique way,” Klas Bergling, Tim’s father, said in a statement. He noted that he is grateful for Tim’s friends who have agreed to come out to Stockholm, noting that all the artists and colleagues “expressed a sincere interest and desire to engage in efforts to stem the tide of mental illness.”
Funds from the show will go to the Tim Bergling foundation to help address suicide prevention and mental health needs. The foundation was launched earlier this year to “initially focus on supporting people and organizations working in the field of mental illness and suicide prevention,” but will also focus on climate change, development assistance, nature conservation, and endangered species.
“Every year around 1500 people take their own lives in Sweden and globally up to one million,” Klas said in a release. “It is a tragedy that affects families, communities and with long-term effects on relatives who live on in grief. It is a global crisis and the second most common cause of death among young people aged 15-29 [according to the World Health Organization]. We want this concert to help put the topic on the agenda and pay attention to the stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide. Policies and tools are needed to detect the risks and prevent suicide, especially among young people.”
Avicii was found dead in his hotel room in Oman last April, which was called an apparent suicide. The 28-year-old producer had some health issues in the past and suffered from acute pancreatitis, which was partially due to drinking. While he officially stopped touring in 2016 to recover, he continued to produce music. Avicii is known as one of the best EDM DJs in the industry who garnered attention with smash-hits like 2011’s “Levels,” Wake Me Up” from 2013’s True, and 2015’s “Waiting For Love” from Stories.
This past April, Tim was released – the album Avicii was working on before his death. The record, which includes singles “SOS,” “Tough Love,” and “Heaven,” scored the top spot on the Billboard US Top Dance/Electronic Albums and reached No. 11 on the Billboard 200.